The vertebral column, or the spinal column, is composed of a series of connected bones called “vertebrae.” The vertebrae surround the spinal cord and protect the spinal cord from damage. Nerves branch off the spinal cord and travel to the rest of the body, allowing for communication between the brain and the body. The vertebrae are connected by spongy intervertebral discs. The intervertebral disc, which is made up of strong connective tissues that hold one vertebra to the next, acts as a cushion or shock absorber between the vertebrae.
Spinal fusion is a surgical procedure used to correct problems with the vertebrae and/or intervertebral disc, such as degenerative disc disease, spinal disc herniation, discogenic pain, weak or unstable spine caused by infections or tumors, vertebral fracture, scoliosis, kyphosis, spondylolisthesis, spondylosis, Posterior Rami Syndrome, and other degenerative spinal conditions that causes instability of the spine.
In a typical spinal fusion procedure, the intervertebral disc is partially or fully removed. Although a number of spinal fusion devices have been developed, there still exists a need for a spinal fusion device that is capable of maintaining the height and the natural lordosis of the spine, and that can easily be assembled and dissembled in a surgical procedure.